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Anterior Hip Replacement: What makes it different?

I have a general saying that if you’re experiencing hip pain that is having a negative effect on your quality of life — it’s time to come see me.

This includes being unable to go for a walk, or having to lean on the shopping cart while at the grocery store.

When it comes to hip replacement procedures, there are multiple ways to approach it but the operation is the same once you get in.

They also all have their pros and cons. I use a metaphor for having work done in your kitchen and you have to decide if you want to have the work crew to come in through the front door, the back door, or the side door. So, do you want your front hall muddy, your back hall muddy or your side door muddy from the crew working.

I like to go with the anterior approach, which means accessing the hip from the front. Once again, the procedure in replacing the ball and socket joint of the hip is the same, but each approach maneuvers through different muscles and you want to do as little damage as possible in the process.

The advantage of the anterior hip replacement is that there is typically less muscle damage done in comparison to the other approaches we have a better ability to monitor live sometimes the component position we are able to measure the leg length more accurately with an anterior approach because the patient is lying on their back instead of on their side which is common with the other operations and after surgery it does tend to be less painful.

People are off pain medications more quickly usually they’re off crutches more quickly they don’t have to do hip dislocation precautions. A lot of surgeries especially with a posterior approach patients will be limited in their activities for several weeks and don’t cross your legs and don’t bend your waist and with the stability of the anterior approach that’s not a concern.

We get you up out of bed the day of surgery these are mostly done with a one-night stay, some people stay two nights and occasionally we send you some the same day. You’re putting weight on it right away so you’re working with the physical therapists, the nurses, you walk up and down the hall the day of surgery and then you do some stairs and work in the pretend kitchen or pretend car the next day and you go home.

There are not many restrictions after surgery besides impact sports. I often advise no running, aggressive skiing, or basketball. Those types of things.

You can play golf, cross country ski, downhill ski with control, hunting, fishing. Plenty of activities! Most things you want to do, you’re allowed to do!